Gitmo Transfer:
Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire
Is it a good idea to transfer around a hundred Gitmo detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Thomson, Illinois? Should someone be asking, “Is it safer to have such dangerous terrorist prisoners being held here in the middle of the United States?” Well, they are many people and politicians asking that very question. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) called the plan “preposterous” which he also said that the White House “must’ve forgotten” the September 11 terrorist attacks. People, who live in the region of northwest Illinois, are split of the issue, which that some thinks it will help the already suffering economy in the state and there are some think that they will become targets for terrorism.
Many of the Democrats support the Gitmo transfers in saying “It will create jobs” and further quoting, “This is probably the economic-development opportunity of a lifetime for northwest Illinois, and we intend to take full advantage of it,” said Russ Simpson, a leader of an economic development group stationed west of Chicago. Many of the Democratic Congress feels that this will also boost the state’s economy and help the small 450 population of Thomson to receive government money. “That’s the best thing that could happen to it,” said Rick McGinnis, who owns a bar called Kyle’s, which had been in his family for 62 years. He remembers the good money his bar made when the prison was being built and hope its reopening could bring back the good money.
President Obama feels that this will help stop fueling Terrorist recruiting, but has he stop to think that this is like as the old saying goes, “Jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” or is America more safer now that around one hundred Jihad terrorist will be placed in the middle of the country? America needs to ask, how is it safer?
Guantanamo Bay is a very isolated place, which half of the base is blocked by water while the other half is blocked by a small country called, Cuba. Thomas, Illinois prison maybe away from towns and cities, but it is surrounded by millions of Americans. This has insight fear that the people of Thomson will be targets for terrorist or even worse, “Home grown terrorist,” which can put many innocent people at risk. It seems that Gitmo is less likely to be attacked, which the soldiers and guards can see any attack coming several miles away. Although the Thomson prison is classified as a high maximum with electric fences, high block walls, and state of the art security cameras, but can it see an attack coming?
The Democrats believe that it is in the best interest of the United States to close Gitmo. President Obama vowed to close the terrorist facility in 2010, which the maximum security prison in Thomson, Illinois helps his agenda in making good on a campaign promise. Still, there are many people who fear for the worse and think it is a bad idea to send such dangerous terrorist on American soil. If the Obama administration thinks that by closing Gitmo will stop terrorist from using the place as an excuse to recruit more Jihad, well is it not the same thing. Both facilities are prisons and will hold terrorist for crimes against America, which is more less the same problem, just different locations.
Tags: Chicago, Cuba, Gitmo, Obama, prison, terrorist, thomson
